Controversial Florida bill amended, awaiting final vote
The Staff of Clutch and Chrome
April 28th 2008
The Florida
bill originally targeting motorcycle riders was approved
Friday by the House and is set to be voted on in the Senate
next week.
The bills
language has been expanded to include all vehicles on
Florida's roads, except for the verbage that cites 'popping
wheelies' and the loss of a motorcycle endorsement depending
on the severity of the offense.
The proposed
fines for popping a wheelie are stiff: $1,000 the first
time, $2,500 the second, $5,000 the third -- plus a possible
five years in prison.
The bill is
the brainchild of State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a Miami
Republican after a series of ride-alongs with Florida
Highway Patrol officers along Miami-Dade highways.
Initially he
wanted the bill to give police the right to seize and sell
the motorcycle of repeat offenders who exceed speed limits
by more than 50 miles per hour, but was modified after
motorcycle advocacy groups protested.
The bill was
amended to include all motorists, who face a $1000 fine if
they exceed a posted speed limit by more than 50 miles per
hour. Motorists cited three times for breaking the speed
limit by 50 miles per hour or more could face up to five
years in prison, up to $5,000 in fines and revocation of
their license for up to 10 years.
If the
measure passes in the Senate it will go into effect Oct. 1. |
